Device for automatically locking elevators



t 8 e h S m 8 8 h S 2 N 0 H A M O M G J (No Model.)

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING ELEVATORS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

- IVVENTU/z ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'J. 0. MQMAHON. v DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOOKING ELEVATORS.

No. 576,144. Patented Peb.2,189"7.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH O. hIC-MAHON, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE EUREKA LOCK AND IMPROVEMENTCOMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,144, dated February2, 1897'. Application filed December 5, 1895. Serial No. 571,142. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSIAH C. McMAHoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny city,-i n the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Automatically Locking Elevators by the Movement of the DoorThereof; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 indicates a side elevation of myimproved automatic device for locking and releasing elevators. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same, enlarged. Fig. 3 is an end elevation ofthe same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the same applied to a horizontally-sliding door. Fig. 5 is a plan ofsame. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a modification applied to a swinging orhinged door. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same.

My invention relates to safety attachments for elevators andelevator-shafts, the object of my invention being to produce a deviceadapted to hold the motor-controlling rope or chain of an elevatorstationary by the opening of the door leading from said elevator and toprevent said controlling-rope being operated during the time the doorremains open; and to this purpose it consists of the novel constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

I will now describe my invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which like letters andfigures indicate like parts wherever they occur.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates an elevatorshaft of the usualconstruction. 2 indicates a rod extending from the bottom to the top ofsaid shaft and secured in bearings projecting from the side of one ofthe beams of said shaft, if necessary, or, as shown in the drawings,secured in bearings at the bottom and top, respectively, of the shaft.Said rod is provided with a number of arms 3 3, corresponding in numberwith the number of floors or stories in the building. Said armsproject'toward the door A, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, whensaid'door is a verticalsliding one. The end of said doo': adjacent tosaid rod is provided with a strip or piece 4, which tapers or. inclinestoward the top of said door and terminates near the top thereof in anoutwardly-projecting slot 5. In other words, the side of the dooradjacent to the rod is provided with an inclined plane, which when saiddoor is being elevated impinges against one of said arms, therebyrotating or throwing said rod in a direction from the door and carryingthe bar 6, which is rigidly secured upon said rod 2 and terminates in aclutch 7, against the motor-controlling rope or chain B of the elevator,as shown in Fig. 4, whereby said controlling rope or chain is gripped orclutched and held stationary or locked during the time the door remainsopen. In closing the door the arm follows the plane in its descent untilsaid arm enters the slot in said inclined plane near the top of saiddoor, whereby the rod 2 is rotated toward the door, thus releasing therope from the clutch and enabling the elevator to be operated.

A counterweight 8, attached to an arm by means of a rope or chain b,may, if necessary, be used to throw the clutch out of en gagement withthe motor-controlling rope or chain of the elevator. Themotor-controlling rope or chain is provided with a number of knots orstops 9 9, so arranged thereon that they will come opposite therespective stories or floors of the building, whereby-a firmer clutchmay be had upon said rope or chain. Said rope operates in a guide formedin a bracket 10, the outer end of which is provided with stops or checksto limit the outward movement of the clutch-rod.

It is obvious that my invention may be adapted to. horizontally=-slidingdoors and to 5 doors mounted on hinges without departing from the spiritof my invention, and in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I have shown, respectively, myinvention applied to horizontally sliding and swinging doors. In Fig. 5I show it applied IOO to a horizontally-sliding door, in which case theinclined plane at is attached to or made a part of the top of the doorinstead of the side, as in the case of a vertically-movable door, andthe arms that impinge upon the incline plane have attached thereto amember 11, projecting downwardly therefrom, which impinges against theinclined plane. It is also obvious that a spring attachment of any usualconstruction may be used instead of the counterweight 8.

In Figs. 6 and '7 is shown a modification of my device applied tooutwardly-swinging doors, in which case arms 3 on said rod 2 projectthrough a slot or opening above the door toward the outside, beingpivotally connected at a to the horizontal rod 12, which is providedwith a slot 13 at the end opposite said pivotal connection and in whicha pin 14 passes, and through an orifice in the bracket 15. 16 is ablade-spring, the retraction of which, when the door is thrown open,causes said bar-rod 12 to move therewith, whereby the rod 2 is rotatedand the clutch-bar is thrown against the rope. When said door is closed,the stop-block 17', attached to the door, impinges against the shoulder18, formed in one end of the rod 12, causing the rod to be moved in areverse direction to that in which the spring moved the same, reversingthe rod 2, and releasing the clutch, the

' slot 19 in the end of the rod enabling the rod 12 to be reciprocated.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a locking device for elevators, the combination of anelevator-shaft; a vertical rod extending from the bottom to the topsubstantially of the shaft, and provided with a series of armsprojecting substantially at right angles therefrom, and a series of barsadapted to engage the motor-controlling rope or chain; doors each havingan inclined plane adjacent to one of said arms, and adapted to engageagainst said arm and transmit motion to said rod, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a locking device for elevators, the combination of a vertical rodhavinga series of arms, and a series of clutch-bars, substantially atright angles to said arms; doors each having an inclined plane adjacentto one of said arms, and adapted when being opened, to impinge againstsaid arm and transmit motion to said vertical rod; a motor-controllingrope or chain having series of stops thereon, whereby said rod is causedto rotate and the clutch-bars thereon to engage the motorcontrollingrope or chain between the stops thereon, substantially as described.

In a device for automatically locking and releasing elevator-doors, thecombination of a rod or shaft extending from the bottom to the topsubstantially of the elevatorshaft, and having a series of arms, and aseries of clutch-bars; a door, adapted when being opened, to rotate saidrod in one direction; a counterweight connected to said rod, and'adapted to rotate said rod in an opposite direction; a motor-controllingrope or chain having a series of stops thereon, adapted to be engaged orclutched by the clutch-bars on said vertical rod, substantially asherein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signaturethis 2d day of December, A. D. 1895.

JOSIAH O. MoMAI-ION. [L. s]

In presence of- JAs. J. MOAFEE,

O. A. 'WILLIAMs.

